What choice do I have?
by Jacquotte
Summary: Summary soon. Read to find out what happens!
1. Chapter 1

Okay peoples, I've been working on this story recently. This will be my third story on this site. Let me know of any typo's and errors, and thank you so much for all your reviews in the past. I hope it flows well and you like it. Cheers to you all!  
signed: Jacquotte

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. . . . . chapter one . . . .

He had been burning a hole in my back since several venders past. I was shopping in the market with my maid, my best-friend, we had grown up together and thought of each other as sisters. Not long after I picked out some fresh mangos did I spot him. He was leaning against a large barrel that sat right next to an ally. He had a untamed look about his attire and a rather bold smirk about his face that would make any women blush. If it wasn't for his boldness to stare at me in such a manor I would have admired his handsome features and his sea swept locks. He had the face of a prince in a fairy tale. But looking past his outward appearance, I could tell right away he must be a thief and a ruffian, so I sped off towards another shop far from where he stood.

I noticed people had begun looking at me odd and I felt my forehead start to ache. As I reached up I found I had been scrunching my brow ever since the encounter with the man. Clearly my forehead had never been subject to such an emotion and could not handle it. I started to smile freely again when I saw my maid following up to me. "Where on earth did you leave to so suddenly?" she asked. I told her about the man-who-looked-like-a-thief, the nerve of that man to stare at me in such a way. Then we started walking again, after admiring some linens and material that had just arrived unharmed from India and Persia, I was starting to feel better and more relaxed talking about the dresses I could sew from the royal blue and yellow silk I had admired from Kashmir.

Suddenly I heard a booming voice behind me, obviously upset about something because he pushed past me and walk briskly down the street. My maid and I walked arm and arm together slowly not knowing what was going to happen. Five men appeared from the shadows and surrounded the large man in attack formation. Not sure what might unfold before our eyes we stopped at least fifteen paces away and stepped to the side of the street against a building under the protection of it's shadow from the noonday sun. The large man boomed something again. His blond hair sticking to the sweat of his brow told me he did not feel he was in control of his current situation, but rather the well dressed man who was leaning on his cane. They talked in low tones while the four foul looking men paced around him like a pack of hungry wolves. A small voice inside me told me to leave and return to the square but I did not listen and stayed locked against the cool rock wall.

My maid was gripping my arm tighter and trying to pull me away, but I did not budge. I was as curious as a mouse who smells cheese in a trap, and so I stayed put. But as soon as the large man swung his body around and grabbed one of the men's cutlass and another mans pistol I froze. I knew that this might happen but I didn't realize it would happen. He fought the four men with fists as they attacked, he tossed them aside like sacks of grain. But they kept bouncing back up and attacking like rabid dogs. I started to feel sick and faint when I saw the well dressed man leaned on his cane a little more, with an evil smile he pulled out a small pistol from his overcoat and aim it towards the poor unsuspecting man who was struggling with the four. I remember seeing the sky turn dark and feeling the ground give way, my maid gasp, and a pair of strong arms which lifted me away, then I must have fainted because I saw only black.

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Aww, you fainted...heehee! Who saved you, huh? Any ideas? Ha! Well thats for me to know, and you to find out! Day dream well my readers, and have a good day!! Don't forget to review... until we meet again my friends - Cheers!


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, chapter 2! More interesting I hope.

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I awoke to find myself in my bedroom, the curtains were drawn to a close making it difficult to see clearly. An older gentlemen who must have been a doctor had a hold of my wrist and was checking my pulse. He spoke in a hushed tone, my sister sat by and placed a cool wet cloth on my brow. Her husband James stood in the room and nodded at what the good doctor had to say. Then I notice a fourth in the room, a handsome young man stood in the door way who I remembered from somewhere. I shifted the position of my head to see him better, "Ah, your awake" the doctor said, "are you feeling better?" he asked. I nodded in response lifting myself to a semi-upright position. "You look better, best take it easy now, remember... rest is best." He smiled and started packing away his instruments into his bag and stated to my sister and her husband, "It's this heat and humidity that causes these fainting spells, you best keep her indoors during the midday hours."

I glanced towards the man standing in the doorway and then to my maid with a puzzled look, she started to say something when the doctor stood up and walked towards the man. "Good thing you came along young man, you saved this woman's life, one minute later and she might have ended up with the others in that ally." My maid smiled down at me and then to the stranger. He stepped to the side to let the good doctor go by, then glanced back towards me. I smiled back in appreciation, he started to say something but was cut off with the doctor asking him to lead the way back towards the ally. My Brother-in-law followed them out as my maid busied herself with folding and packing away some linens. I heard the men walk down the stairs and out the front door. The whole time the doctor was chatting about the many fainting's in the past week and not just the women but the working men and the children... then once again there was silence.

I sat still in my bed replaying what had taken place, trying to figure out what had happened, where had I seen that gentleman before? His dark hair and his bright eyes reminded me of someone. Surely I would remember such a man from my past, after all he saved my life and the doctor acted like we knew him. Then why do I feel so lost as to whom he could be?

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_"Dear Journal, Several days have past, no not days, it's been weeks since I have written.  
I have followed the good doctors instructions and stayed out of the hot Caribbean sun.  
My sister has been an absolute an angel to me, in fact this is the first time I have ever  
seen her so calm and happy. Her baby has a lot to do with it I think. He has his fathers  
gentleness and his mothers kindness, he's two now and cute as a little cherub! Mother  
wrote, she and Father are well and doing wonderfully with their business. _

Jeffrey Davenport, their neighbors eldest son was accepted in her Majesty Royal Navy.  
He wants to work his way up to become an Admiral. I think he'll succeed! The large man  
with the blond hair I saw weeks before, was attacked again on the docks shortly after the  
doctor had bandaged his wounds, he had been shot. We paid a visit to them and learned  
that Pavel Massalsky and his wife Natalya had moved from their native homeland to  
England. When they found out their talents were needed elsewhere, they came to the  
Caribbean so he could be the blacksmith and she a seamstress. He was a kind man to all  
he met and helped those in need. But when a man with a cane showed up just before  
closing with a proposition to melt down foreign gold and mint it into currency. He declined,  
believing the man to be a pirate he told him to leave. Later he found his shop had been  
broken into, and his tools had flecks of gold on them. A note had been left threatening him  
and his family if he didn't help next time. He went to the military police and told them what  
happened, but they told him to not worry about it that they would look into it. After a week  
of no information, he decided to track down the man himself and try to reason with him.  
I and my maid witnessed when he finally caught up with them.

My sister and I visit Natalya whenever we can, Pavel is still unable to work due to the severity  
of his flesh wound. They also have a son who is the same age as my nephew. I hope Natalya will  
forgive me for fainting instead of helping him, I'm sure I could have done something. I've never  
told her what I witnessed, I'm sure Pavel wouldn't want me to. Still, I wish I could have changed  
what had happened, if only I were a man, I would have helped Pavel fight those evil men and he  
would have never been shot. But all is in the past, what's done is done. At least he is alive. I still  
have no idea who the man was who saved me from a wicked fall. I asked my brother-in-law who he  
was and he told me,"'...as soon as he took us to the ally, he disappeared. I never did thank him  
properly..." I've kept my eyes open looking for him but to no avail. He's nowhere to be found.  
I wish I could see him again, I would like to thank him also."

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Review, review please!! Let me know what you think so far. And as always, if you have an idea for the story, I'd be glad to hear it! Cheers! 


	3. Chapter 3

. . . . Chapter 3 . . . .

_"Dear Journal,_

_This morning I woke up early after a fitful night, I suppose the heat is getting to me. It's not at all like  
the weather in England. __I really enjoy the walks along the beach at sunset, the weather begins to cool  
and the horizon changes into various hues of red and purple. If only I were a talented painter, I would  
paint every sunset of every evening I've been here. The walls would be full of colour, if only I were a  
talented painter._

_As always I heard the cook leave early this morning to buy the freshest catch of the day down at the  
docks. Dare I say the shrimp are the most interesting looking creatures, after I found one that walked  
halfway out the kitchen door, I swore I'd never eat another again. As I sit at my desk looking out the  
window I can't help but wonder what it would be like to sail the seas, hauling fish in by the thousands  
and watching all the wonderful colors flash back at me through the water. However, this morning is  
different, I can feel something isn't right. And now that I see the sun is beginning to rise a blood red,  
I know the day holds a storm in the horizon. I hope the ever looming feeling doesn't last."_

I rose from my chair, dusted my journal and blotted the page before closing. The sound of a coach came through my window. Wrapping my shawl tighter around my shoulders I peered out my window, to see a rather handsome coach and high stepping team pull up to the walk. A footman placed a step and opened the cab door, half bowing as if royalty were to emerge from the shadowed cab. However to my dismay I had to blink twice before I dared believe my eyes. My ever looming feeling had reason, for before me on the walk was the man with the cane who had stood in the ally aiming the pistol at the unsuspecting Pavel. My heart raced with fear as I realized he might be calling on me, the only witness to his heinous act. Try as I might I couldn't put out of my mind that I might be in danger. I pulled the bell and began dressing quickly with the help of my maid, and placed a small dagger like pin in my hair, just in case.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs I heard my brother in law James speaking to the man in his study. Against my good upbringing and better judgement I peeked through the door to have a better look at the man. "Have a seat." said James in his usual tone of business. "Thank you." said the man giving a fluttery bow.

James began the conversation folding his hands on his desk, "I have it on good authority that you are the man who stood in the ally when Pavel _Massalsky _was, shall we say, brutally attacked? Have you any objections to this meeting Mr....?"

He grinned, "Not at all. But the accusations placed on me by your lovely but rather imaginative sister is far fetched and untrue. Most young women will never cease telling fibs to heighten the drama of an innocent affaire. You see I was walking down the lane with my...." James interrupted the man and spoke rigidly. "Shall we start with your name sir. Or is it the introductions are not a part of your customs." "Morgan. Leopold Toddington Morgan the third of Terrianclaine Moor." he said gritting his teeth in a forced smile. "Well Mr. Morgan, as far as my sister telling a dramatization, that is my reason for this meeting. I'd like to hear from all sides of the argument before making judgement, after all this is my town at the moment to uphold the peace and in doing so........" At this point I gave up trying to listen as the conversation became more politically inaudible. "Miss, do you need a hand?" asked the butler holding out a hand to me, which I gladly took to rise from the position I was in. I asked him not to say a word to James about me listening through the door, and he agreed with a smile. This wasn't the first time he has found me in a jam and it probably will not be the last. "Your sister wishes to see you miss, she is in the nursery."

"Thank you Stephen"

TBC.

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Yes, it's been a while. Three years to be exact, but I think I've finally found where this story is headed. Look for the next chapter coming soon, very soon!


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